An Angel of Shadow
by Carnicirthial
Summary: Just the little story of a mutant trying to fit in, suprise suprise. Angela comes to the X-men with the need of help, but she'll leave with more on her plate than she expected. T for cursing and romance. Please R&R! Production has slowed, but I'm working!
1. One big headache

_**An Angel of Shadow**_

"Who is she? Where did she come from?" I struggled to keep consciousness when the voice echoed painfully in my head. Pain, well, at least I'm alive.

"We don't know. Her driver's license expired four years ago, and I don't think it's even hers." The voice reverberated inside my head just as painfully.

"Where did she come from?" There was that excruciatingly deep voice again. I labored to open my eyes, but the left one was swollen and the other caked with blood.

"We found her lying beneath a train." The owner of the voice, who was probably the doctor, was right next to me.

"So why not just dump her at the local hospital?" I was in agreement with the guy with the deep voice.

"Because she materialized out of no where." Oh crap. What had happened? I racked my brain for memories, but my mind was one of the few objects I couldn't control. Go figure.

Then I remembered. Darlene – no, The Mistress of Darkness - had chased me into the shadow realm and beaten me into the state I was currently in. I'd probably be nothing other than a bloody smear in the train tracks if a couple of people in black leather hadn't come to my rescue. Great, not only was I the Damsel in Distress, but I had sunk so low that I had to depend on a freak show in form-fitting outfits.

I concentrated despite wanting to fall back into the dark abyss and willed my cuts and bruises to heal. The female spectator jumped in surprise, while her companion did nothing but laugh at his friend's surprise. "Really, Jean, you'd think you'd never seen a mutant before."

Mutants? Where was I? Well, I thought to myself, only one way to find out. Despite a serious longing to disappear again I stood up, blinked hard, and finally surveyed my two guards. The female was tall, or taller than me, and considerably clean. She looked like the type of girl who sent men over bridges when she said no. Her comrade was a taller male (I didn't know if either if them would be offended by the term 'human'), about six foot three-ish with big brown sideburns and hair that stood tall on either side of his head and dipped in the middle. I couldn't stand it anymore. Seeing this normal-looking woman and this side attraction from the circus was just too much. I began to laugh. Not a normal laugh, where you start out small and get louder, I just began to flat out scream in mirth.

"Great, she's snapped." The guy with the funny sideburns looked exasperated at his fellow.

I finally stopped clutching my side in laughter and wiped a tear form my face. "No, I'm not crazy. You might want to get your hair dresser checked, though."

This guy had obviously heard one hair-joke too many and stuck his knuckles in my face. But his knuckles had these bizarre metal razors sticking out of them. Most people would have cracked, and I know a few who would start to cry, but I just grinned and slipped back into the shadow realm. I was just going to leave, right then and there, but the room was air tight, and unfortunately I wasn't able to go through walls. Instead I snuck up behind the macho man and stuck my hands back into the light realm.

"Logan! Watch out!" Too late. I swept the poor sap's feet out from under him before he could respond to his partner's warning. He got up and dove at me, but because he couldn't cross into the shadow world he hit the floor at full force.

This was pretty entertaining. I went up to the ceiling and listened to the brute shout curses and threats at me for awhile, but soon I got bored and stood on the ceiling. That's the nice thing about being able to bend the laws of physics, you can just ignore gravity.

The freak saw me and dived at the ceiling. He missed. "Well, I give you a nine for the dive, but you get a two for the landing." This got a smile out of the doctor who had been watching with as much entertainment as I had. I had a feeling we might be able to get along.

"You're pretty brave up there on the ceiling, coward. Come down here and we'll see how brave you really are." He was finally standing still as he shook his fist at me.

I just ignored his comment and jumped and came back to his level. "Please, like I really need to prove myself to you." He swung at me anyway. However, at this point in my story I'd already put up with bigger jerks than him and ducked. He was balanced, but had put so much weight into the punch that his few seconds of recovery were all I needed. I punched back and none to lightly. He went sprawling across the infirmary floor with the impact. I could have further demonstrated my point, and in any other situation I would have, but instead I left him be. I don't know why, but I did it all the same.

"Now that you've finished terrorizing Logan, would you mind coming with me? Professor Xavier wants to talk with you." This came from the doctor. She was calm enough, but I could sense her unease.

Logan, if that was indeed his name, was standing now and rubbing his jaw in a defeated manner. He probably would have continued the fight, but I was already following the doctor out the door.


	2. The Block

The Block

The doctor, who had introduced herself as Jean Gray ((let's just forget that she died!!)) Led me out of the infirmary and up to the main part of what I was told was a school for mutants. It sounded a lot like the Institution. She pointed out a kitchen, a T.V. room, and a recreation hall before she led me to a large office. I jumped when a large clock began to toll.

"I suggest you get against the wall." The guy with the funny hair, Logan, had been following us sullenly the whole time.

"Why?" My question was answered when a sea of students rushed out of the office and more still flooded down the stairs. Apparently class was out. I took Logan's advice and slid into the shadow realm. This would have been the perfect opportunity to escape this madhouse, but something inside told me to stay. When the mob of students passed I slid gracefully back into the light realm.

"That doesn't happen often, does it?" Jean had watched with fascination as I steeped back into the light realm.

"Every hour." This was from Logan, and by the sound of his voice he was just as resentful about children as I was. I learned later that he was just acting and actually loves the little headaches. Why? I have no clue, but at least he has a tender side.

"Come, in Jean." A soft voice came from the office, softer than I'd heard for a long while. Jean motioned for me to follow, and not that I liked following her around like a good little puppy, I came anyway.

"Ah, I see you've woken up." This came from the bald man sitting behind the desk, his attention directed at me. "Well, how do you like the school? Please have a seat."

I sat down in the chair he indicated and began to shift one of my picks. I'd lost a good percentage of them in the fight with Darlene, but it wasn't hard to get more. "It's fine. Listen, I don't know who you are, but I want an explanation before I begin to get seriously miffed." My choice of words got a stifled laugh form Logan, but I wasn't going to stay long enough for his opinion to matter much.

"Of course, no one likes to be left in the dark. My name is Professor Xavier, and this is my school. To the outside world we are a school for the gifted, but in reality we welcome in young mutants, and teach them to control their gifts. You've already met Jean Gray and Logan, but you should also meet their comrades." This whole speech had a practiced air to it. In fact, when he was done, several more people came in. "Meet Scott Summers, also know as Cyclops; Ororo Munroe, a.k.a. Storm; Kurt Wagner, a.k.a. Nightcrawler; Bobby Drake, a.k.a. Iceman; and Marie D'Ancanto, a.k.a. Rogue." The list of people was long, and I wasn't sure if I could remember them all, but just nodded to each in turn. The black guy (and I'm not being racist, his skin was a dark blue/black!) seemed to hide behind the chick with white hair, implying that he wasn't used to people reacting civilly to him, so I made a particular point of shaking his hand. He enjoyed it, being accepted on sight, and I have to say it was nice to meet someone who looked like I felt.

"Nice to meet you. Now, you didn't say what I was doing here, or how you even found me." Alright, I'm brisk, I'm rude, but life hadn't really taught me otherwise.

"We found you in front of a moving train." The guy with the red sunglasses was speaking. He looked like he could have been a boy scout earlier in life. Eww.

"Yeah, so? Am I supposed to be grateful or something?" Moving trains, big whoop.

"Yes, I imagine you would be." He was starting to sound pretty ticked off.

"Well, don't let your imagination run off with you, Cyclops." I put an extra helping of sarcasm in "Cyclops." Turning back to the Professor, I said, "Alright, you saved my life, big deal. Can I go know?"

"Do you really need my permission?" I had been expecting some sort of speech about staying on and helping save the world like you see in the movies, but he seemed like he knew what he was doing.

"No, I don't." I was about to turn back around when I remembered something. "Where'd my bow go?"

"Pardon?"

"My bow. It was with me when I was in the shadow realm, but I can't seem to locate it." Oops. I shouldn't have let that bit about the shadow realm slip, but my bow (archery, not like a hair bow) was really the only material possession I cared about.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Perhaps it was left in front of the train?" I could tell he was trying to help, but really he wasn't.

"I doubt it. I probably just left it in the shadow realm." Turning back to the group of mutants, I bid them all fond farewells. "Nice to meet you." Okay, so maybe not that fond. Before they could say anything I was back in the shadow realm.

I've talked a lot about the shadow realm, but you still probably don't know what it is. It's the colorless dimension that parallels our own, and only manifests it's presence with shadows in the light realm (our dimension). Hence the name. Because I don't have to obey the laws of physics I can cross between the two realms. Now, the shadow realm isn't like the light realm. For one, there's no ground. It's more like an ocean, and the further to the top you get, the closer to the light realm you are. That's when you're appearance in the light realm is lightest, but the further down you go, the darker you seem to get to those who are watching you're shadow in the light realm. Eventually you get so dark that human eyes can't tell your there; their brains just replace the dark spot with a memory of what was there previous to your shadow. I spend a lot of time in the shadow realm, but unfortunately, so does Darlene.

Speaking of whom, she just happened to be waiting for me as soon as I crossed over; my bow in her hands. In the shadow realm you can talk, but the words are faint and garbled, so often times shadow-travelers use telepathy. _What do you want, Dee?_

_You blew your third chance, but I'll be lenient and ask you one more time. _

_I've said no before, what makes you think you'll be able to change my mind? It doesn't have to go down like this, you can still back out._

_You'd like that, wouldn't you? No, dearest. I won't back down. _She tossed my bow at me, or rather the shadow of my bow. _I'll give you ten seconds before I activate the power block, so unless you want to spend the rest of your life as a shadow, I suggest you get back to the light realm._

_Why are you doing this?_ I'd asked before, and every time I got the same answer. I don't know what made me think this time would be different.

_I've told you. One…two…three…four…_ I didn't wait for her to get to five, I shot back into the light realm, and because I hadn't moved any further than two centimeters I shot back into the office where I had just said goodbye to the mutants.

Her voice still echoed in my head _five…six…seven…eight…nine…ten. _My brain pounded for a second, and then I felt a door go up between me and the part of me that controlled my powers. I probably looked like a moron clutching my head (I had a headache parallel to that of a semi attempting to drive through my temples) but at least I wasn't writhing in agony; yet. The pain distorted my hearing, but every now and then I could hear people asking what happened, and I'm pretty sure the youngest girl in the room (I think her name is Rogue) screamed.

When the pain died down I was aware that someone was trying to pry my hands of my head. My vision was blurry, but that didn't stop me from seeing the blood on my hands. I couldn't seem to put two and two together. Feeling rather stupid I asked, "Where did that come from?"

"Your head. You were grabbing yourself so hard that you began to bleed." The voice came from over my shoulder where Logan was sitting back on his feet. His hands had traces of blood on them, so I guessed he was the one who had tried to help me. Why? Hadn't I tried to beat him up just a few minutes ago?

"Are you alright?" The African-American woman with the white hair was the one who had spoken.

"I will be." I looked down at my hands and tried to wipe the blood of with a shadow. Crap. The block had worked, and I was stuck here. Bobby (his was the only face I could easily put a name on) handed me a wet washcloth. It was pretty cold, so I could guess where the nickname Iceman came from. "Thanks."

"No problem." He didn't move away, just keep watching me. Eventually he asked what everyone was thinking. "What happened?"

I sighed audibly before I began. "Darlene. She's a shadow-traveler just like me. We, ah, don't get along like we used to, and she finally followed through with her threats. She put up a power block in my mind."

"What's a power block?" Jean Gray asked this time.

Professor Xavier answered for me. "It separates the part of the mind that controls mutant abilities form the rest of the brain, rendering the victim helpless as a normal person. I should be able to remove it if you would allow me."

"I doubt it. Darlene, I mean The Mistress of Darkness, meant for this to be permanent and probably based it on something." I was getting blank stares all across the board. "When you focus your power through something, usually it's something that can be polished, they become magnified. She has a special magnifier, engineered for the sole purpose of enhancing her abilities. I don't know where it is, but I know the genetic make-up; I had one of my own. If I can somehow trace the genetic make-up of this device I should be able to break it and in turn render the block useless."

"How do you intend on finding it alone? And once you do find it, how will you get close enough to break it. If she knows you know about it, she's going to guard it heavily." The professor was questioning my plan, but he didn't sound critical. He sounded like he wanted to help.

"Umm, I'm not really sure. But I can guarantee that I won't figure it out standing here. Now, thank you very much for your help, but really, I need to be going." I turned around and found the black guy (once again not being racist. I think his name is Kurt) blocking my way.

"My dear, we can help you. But to help, we have to have your trust, a gift you have yet to give. I would like very much to see what you can really do with your powers, and to do that we must first remove the block." Professor Xavier spoke kindly to me, like he was attempting to pacify me. I can't say it didn't work, but I was still plenty wary. "Perhaps we could start with your name?"

I don't know what it was, if Professor Xavier was controlling my mind or not, but the sincere and true want to help shone in all of their eyes. Fine, I give up. "Alright, you win. My name is Angela Stryker Shadow."


	3. Conversations

Alright,I re-did chapter 3, so mayhaps it would suck as much. Changed the rating for language, and so forth.

Conversations

_I was in a board room of sorts; people were speaking to me in Korean accents so thick I could hardly understand them. My little brother was sulking in the corner, and my foster parents were shaking uncontrollably. Had I really caused all this? Was it really all my fault? Things were so different now. _

"_Will?"_

"_What?" his voice was hard and cold, resentful that I had gotten the mutant gene and he hadn't. But he was my brother, younger in body, older in sprit._

"_Are you sure I'll be alright?" I wandered over to the Asian style sofa where he had been sulking and laid my head in his lap._

"_Yes; I'm sure. I've done all my research. This place can help you, my shadow. They can teach you how to control your…" He paused, unable to say "your mutant abilities." Instead he let the comment lay unspoken and stroked my scalded head. I tried not to wince in pain, but human touch was so warm that it burned me. That was what had happened to my hair._

"_Time to go, Angela." A Korean lady led me away from my brother, away form the one person who still cared about me. _

_Weeks passed, I let myself sink away until I was nothing but an empty shell. No one wanted to bunk with the strange Canadian girl and I was given my space. Personal training, my own rooms, and archery lessons – an extra-curricular class of my choice. But one day there was a duffle bag on the extra bed in my room, and a girl sitting on the floor. _

"_Excuse me, what are you doing here?" She was meditating or something, but that didn't stop my curiosity._

"_Sorry, I don't speak Korean." English! She spoke English!_

"_Oh, umm, I said 'Excuse me, what are you doing here'" It seemed like so long since anyone had spoken fluent English around me._

"_Oh, I'm your new roommate. My name's Darlene Cumber, but back home I was The Mistress of Darkness." She stuck a firm and calloused hand out, and I took it almost greedily despite the burning sensation._

"_Angela Stryker. Most people call me Shadow 'round here. So, umm, where is home?" I was nervous, and my palms began to sweat._

"_Oh, it doesn't matter." She wiped her hand on her jeans. How long had it been since mine wasn't the only pair in the entire institute? "So, Shadow, looks like the two of us are in the same boat, might as well be bunkmates, eh?" She was friendly, which was probably what drew her to me and me to her._

"Please," I gasped, throwing the Professor's hands away. "Please, no more." I ran my hands through my short blue hair. It was spiked with sweat.

"Yes, of course. I can find her now, go and rest." He wheeled away, looking shaken, and Jean led me to a room upstairs. I collapsed on the bed in a desperate attempt to keep my tears hidden. It didn't work. Jean sat down and gently rubbed my back and waited for the tears to stop.

"I'm sorry." I sat up and began to wipe the tears away. "Mind blocks have a tendency to make me emotional."

"Liar." I grinned through tears that wouldn't stop. "Psychic powers, remember?"

"Thanks." I took the tissue she offered me, and her hand accidentally slid over mine. "Ouch." I drew my hand back quickly before I could really think that it hadn't hurt, it was just my initial reaction.

"Sorry, so sorry." She looked like I had been the one who had hurt her.

For once I had found a group of people that didn't hate me immediately; I didn't want to lose that. "No, it's all right. The mind block shut me off from the shadow realm."

"What on_ earth_ are you talking about?" Well, at least she was open, if not wary.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to think of how best to explain it. "Umm, the shadow realm is really cold. It has to be. There's no light, therefore no heat. Too long in it will kill anybody but a shadow traveler, because as soon as you, what's the word I'm looking for? Umm, come to grips with your gift – or curse, take your pick – your body will lose all body heat. When you're in the shadow realm as often as I am, only a mind block can restore natural warmth."

"So what's the 'ouch' for?" She was experimentally poking me.

"Ever touched dry ice?" She nodded. "That's how cold my skin is. Think it hurts to touch something that cold? It does, but it hurts me even more. To me it feels like touching a stove would for you." I took a deep breath before continuing, wondering if I even should. "The burn of human skin is the reason my hair won't grow more than a couple of inches."

"What happened?" She asked, like I knew she would.

"Well, let's just say that me and a boy were caught in the throes of youthful abandon." I ran a hand through my hair in remembrance.

"You were making out?"

"Yeah, something like that. Anyway, that was the exact time that the whole shadow traveler thing decided to kick in. The hair follicles were so damaged that even if I could get it to grow more than two inches, it would be ice-white. That's why I dye it." It felt weird, talking about something so incredibly pointless, but it was nice too.

Jean took a moment to gather her thoughts and then continued. "So, what is the shadow realm?"

How to explain, how to explain? "It's all in the name. It is basically an alternate world that is a shadow of this one. When I slip into the shadow realm you can see my silhouette here, along with anything I take with me. I am confined to move about in the patterns of the world, so I can't go through walls. And anything that casts a shadow here will obstruct my way. I can also move something in this realm by moving its shadow. Not very easy, mind you, but doable."

A few more moments of silence, but curiosity is powerful. "What about being able to defy gravity?"

"Ah, that. A shadow traveler has extreme control of their body when the laws of physics are concerned. I don't have to eat, breath, sleep, or pay attention to small maters like gravity. Like for instance, I could go around hovering all the time."

"So why don't you?"

"Because it's too, umm, obvious. Besides, I have legs; I might as well use them." I took a deep breath; I wasn't used to having to breathe so often.

"Wow, you've got a giant gift. Where'd you learn to control it like you do?" Jean was looking as eager as a school girl. That seemed somewhat ironic, because she was supposed to be a teacher, not a student.

"Same place I met Darlene." Just when I thought I had found something that wouldn't remind me of her, Darlene had to come. Just had to.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Jean got my drift; then again, she is psychic.

"Don't be. I'm sick of it." I got up and began to walk around.

Once again, she got my drift. She nodded to me and left. On her way out she added, "Bathroom's through that door, fell free to anything in the kitchen, and dinner is usually at seven."

When I was sure she had gone, I decided on a shower. When ever I bathed I kept the water on cold, just because it hurt too much otherwise, but this time it was nice, feeling warmth for once. I had forgotten how much I missed it. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, so I got out of the shower and dressed. I don't wear makeup, and my hair was too short to dry, so it didn't take all that long to get ready for… for whatever I was going to do.

Apparently what I was going to do was talk to Logan. He had just walked into my room, and was nosing about in my few possessions.

"Did you have any idea I was in the shower?" I was leaning nonchalantly against the bathroom door to hide that my knees were quaking. Odd, I'd meet gangsters more frightening that him, why would he make my legs quake?

"Oh, I waited until I knew you were dressed." He didn't seem in the least bit perturbed that I'd caught him pawing my valuables, not that they were that valuable.

"Now how could you possibly know that?" I swatted his hands away from a bundle of my stuff, accidentally knocking it open.

He tapped his nose and grinned slyly at me. "I have an excellent sense of smell." He picked up my necklace out of the mass of stuff. "What's this?"

"That's mine!" I snatched it back and immediately felt a twinge of regret. Hmm, that was new too. "It was my focusing object." I put the necklace back on the bed. It was a pendant with a wispy, almost demonic dragon hung on a chain with small spikes lying gently on my neck.

"Until…" Logan waved his hands as if he wanted me o continue.

So I did. "Until my brother broke it."

He nodded and then gently placed the necklace around my neck. His hands were warm, but not hot, as they did up the latch. I didn't turn around, forcing him to come close. His breath smelled of cinnamon, not beer, his eyes were soft, not calculating. It was a nice change.

"It flatters your neck line." Logan stood back to admire the effect.

"You would know, wouldn't you?" I was fingering the places where his skin had touched mine.

"I would?" All signs of cockiness were erased.

What was wrong? Why was he playing dumb? "Of course; you gave it to me." He was drawing a blank. "Don't you remember?"

He looked down, ashamed. "I don't remember anything before…" he trailed off and let his claws unsheathe. "How do you know me?"

I motioned at him to sit down, not expecting him to do so. I was a little shaken when he did. The Logan I knew never would have let someone tell him what to do. "Do you know who William Stryker is?"

"Was."

"Pardon?"

"Do I know who William Stryker was. He's dead now." He didn't look to sad about it either.

I ran my hand through my hair. "Well, I can't say he didn't have it coming to him. I'd know, he's my brother."

"What does that have to do with you knowing me?"

"Patience is a virtue; I'm getting there. Well, about six months before your, um, procedure I came to stay with Will. Both of you were staying at the military base, so we met there. When I told Will that experimenting on Mutants was wrong, especially for him, he kicked me out. He told me later what had happened, and I can't say I felt a great swell of pity for you."

"Gee, thanks." He gave me an accusatory glare, but it held no real malice.

"Hey, if you'd known what you were like you wouldn't blame me." Out of sheer playfulness I shoved him off the bed. Once again, that was new. Is this what they call "flirting"?

He got back up and tackled me. The blow knocked my breath away, but I could tell he was being gentle. We tossed back and forth, until he had me pinned. I am proud to say that he was breathing harder than I was. We just stared at each other, panting and grinning like idiots. My heart was racing, and my only coherent thought was, _When was the last time I felt this happy? _

I was shocked out of trying to remember when the last time I felt this good was by lips being pressed against mine. I met them, losing myself and forgetting everything but how _wonderful _it felt.

Logan broke the kiss first, reluctantly, and whispered in my ear, "Promise me you'll be here when I get back?"

I whispered back, "You'll just have to find out, won't you?"

"Guess so." He got up and left, leaving me to wonder what the hell I gotten myself into.


	4. Mutant Children

Despite Becca and Lizzy's protests, I've decided to continue this story. Sorry for keeping you waiting! I'm also considering writing a humor fanfic for X-men caled "Life in Xavier Mansion" My first chapter has been planed, if not written. It's called "Marie's Baking project" in which she finds a substance harder than Logan's claws- and head - by trying to bake brownies. UH-OH!

* * *

Mutant Children

I lie in my room for a whole of thirty seconds, giving Logan enough time to either come back or vacate the hall outside. I wasn't sure which one I wanted more, adding confusion to the list of new emotions. Technically speaking, they weren't new emotions, just ones I hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"_You made your choice! Get out of here! There's nothing left for you!" Darlene stood silhouetted against the burning building._

"_Stop it!" I practically screamed. "We can still save people! We can-"_

_I was cut of by a blow in the chest and looked down to see an arrow protruding from my left lung._

"Stop it!" This time it was a whisper to myself, ordering the memories away. But despite retreating, they crowded close at the edge of my attention. In an attempt to drown out the cries of the past I headed down stairs and into what seemed to be a rec-room. The two younger mutants I had been introduced to were in a heated match of foosball and were apparently holding the attention of the students who were pretending to do homework. In the center of the room, however, a boy was suspending a teddy bear just out of reach of a little girl who looked close to tears with what looked suspiciously like one of my own wispy shadows.

Why was no one helping her? "Excuse me," I stepped next to the little girl and scooped her up in my arms. "Whose bear is that?"

The boy looked to be about eleven and had been thoroughly enjoying himself, but upon my appearance his face went chalky white. Perhaps it had something to do with my blue hair. Perhaps it also had something to do that I was very close in height to Logan and had a very similar accent. "It's, um, it's mine."

The little girl shook her head against my shoulder, manifesting his lie. "And how old are you?"

"Ten, almost eleven," He stated proudly.

"Ah ha. So as a boy of ten, almost eleven, you're telling me that you play with teddy bears?" I goaded on his pride; making people uncomfortable was something that came naturally.

"Um, well, you see, um…" He trailed off, unable to defend himself and keep up the lie.

"I do see. I see that you were teasing this girl for your own entertainment. Does that seem fair?" I bent down to his level and placed the girl on the ground, though she was still leaning on me.

"No, ma'am." He sheepishly held the bear out to this little girl who stuck her tongue out at him before squeezing my neck and running away. As an afterthought he added, "Are you going to tell Miss Grey?"

I cocked an eyebrow as if considering, but it had never been my intention. "Alright, I won't tell, but you have to go apologize profusely to that little girl."

Glad he had been let off the hook, he ran in the direction of the little girl. I, however, had been put on spot by the teachers, all of who had been watching in interest. "Um, what?" I asked, turning to met Scott's gaze.

"How did you do that?" He asked incredulously, as if he suspected the boy had taken a bribe.

"Easy, Scout, I didn't threaten him, bribe him, lecture him; just let him figure it out for himself." The teacher gritted his teeth at his new pet name; apparently Logan called him Phaserface.

Scott's face pinched in an attempted glare, but the effect was somewhat ruined by his ruby sunglasses. I watched in satisfaction as he stalked into the dinning room. Before I could stalk away as well, the Professor wheeled up to me, closely followed by Jean. "Has anyone ever told you that you have excellent protective instincts?"

I blushed at the compliment. "Sir, I have been called many things, and among that list 'protective' has yet to be used in reference to me protecting someone else." I paused and let my gaze linger on where the boy was giving an enthusiastic apology. "Professor?"

Xavier snapped his gaze away from the duo as well. "Yes, Angela?"

"Please, I prefer Shadow. Who is that boy?" Despite everything I've said to make myself sound hardened against children, they have a tendency to shine through as my true kryptonite.

"His name is Tasliband Richard, though he prefers Tas. He has powers very similar to yours, if I am not mistaken. His is yet another sad story, but one you must ask of him. Now, I believe it is time for dinner." He wheeled away, and right on cue a bell began to toll. He looked back and asked, "Are you coming, or do you prefer to dine in solitude?"

"Um, I don't really eat." But as a sharp reminder of the mind block, my stomach started to growl like a lion at feeding time in the zoo. The Professor obviously heard and led me into the dinning room. The table was laden with enough to feed the entire school, or a small country, which ever got there first. He motioned to a seat towards the end of the table and continued up to his seat at the head.

I figured Logan wouldn't be dinning with us, and was a little shocked to find myself disappointed. _He and Kurt left to dismantle the mind block, and thus should be back some time near dawn,_ the Professor's voice rang in my head.

_Okay, but it's not like I was particularly worried_, I lied in his general direction.

_Of course not, _I was slightly irked by the sarcasm in the new voice; the one I assumed was Jean. _He is quite charming in his own brutish way, isn't he?_

_For your information, smart-ass, Logan and I have met before and sustained a… relationship._

_You dated?! _I enjoyed her shock, but I knew from experience it was hard to lie to a telepath.

_Not really, I just ran into him a ton when Will was hiding me from the Japanese assassins. _We ignored the Professor's graceas we talked.

_Why were you hiding from Japanese assassins? _She helped children around her cut their meat and serve potatoes and so forth.

_Because Will paid me to go take out one of their undercover operatives and I needed the money. _Despite the fact I felt hungry enough to eat everything on the table, I kept my rations small, knowing that after thirty years of not eating my stomach probably shrunk to the size of a walnut.

_You were an assassin?! _Jean dropped her spoon, currently ladled with mashed potatoes and gravy, earning herself an odd stare from Scott and Ororo. _Why?_

_Just because I needed the money. _I didn't need my powers to sense the contention my revelation brought her. _Listen, he wasn't the first guy I killed or the last. If you had any idea what it's like beyond the embrace of a group of people like you, you'd not be so surprised. Just look at what Logan did for pity's sake! I was – am an angel compared to him! So what if I don't do my namesake justice, eh? _I don't know why I got so pushy, it's just that I don't like people judging me before they know the facts; and it happened all too often.

_What about Logan? _She cut her chicken carefully to avoid my gaze.

Damnit. _Nothing; I promised I wouldn't tell, not even to him._ From that point on in the meal I avoided mental communication, instead chatting with Bobby and Rogue. Like I had predicted, my appetite was satisfied early in the meal, but I waited for my hosts to be done. When the meal was over, the children crowded into the kitchen to either do dishes or make sundaes.

Not sure where to go, I began to wander towards my room, but the Professor stopped me at the stairs, asking for a game of chess. I accepted, with nothing better to do, and soon found myself in a heated game.

"So tell me, Angela, what exactly do your powers cover?" He calmly took my last rook as he spoke.

I sighed and surveyed my options, totally ignoring the use of my given name. "Slipping between the shadow realm and this one, extreme control over my body, able to shift darkness, have shadows at my beck and call, basic immortality, you know; the works." I calmly took his red bishop.

He retaliated by capturing a knight. "That sounds very similar to Tas."

"It does, doesn't it?" I mused over where to go, and shouted in triumph as I put his king in check.

"Would you consider staying on to help him? I think you could teach him control better than I could," said Xavier as his queen demolished my carefully designed check, in turn, placing my king in a check I couldn't possible fathom.

"No, I have a couple… errands I have to run. Maybe in a couple of years." I gave the board one last contempt-filled glare and threw my hands up in surrender.

"Pity, though my offer will always stand. What a wonderful game, Angela. You are quite the opponent." The Professor extended his hand.

"I'm not surprised you beat me, it's been thirty years since I last played." I gratefully took the outstretched hand and immediately wished I hadn't.


	5. Found you

Yes! More reviews! And becca has given me her blessing and i shall continue. FYI: I've been reading other fanfics and i realize i know absolutley SQUAT about teh X-men, so bear with me. Oh, i apologize for the sappy diolouge and illnarrated action

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Found you

Once again displaying impeccable timing, at the exact moment the Professor and I locked hands, Logan sent Darlene's focusing object crashing to the floor. Without any say in the matter, I was pulled into the shadow realm, Xavier in tow.

Remember back in chapter three how Jean and I were discussing the shadow realm and I said it would kill a non-shadow-traveler? Well, I'll say I lied about something in that conversation, but it was most certainly not this. I had roughly ten more seconds to get the Professor into a place warm as say, the center of a volcano. Unfortunately, upstate New York is somewhat short on volcanoes, so without wasting time I made a mad dash (while we were still in the shadow realm) for the living room of the mansion, where I'd seen a fire place. Ignoring Scott and Jean on the couch and the considerable amount of damage I probably did to their privacy, I dumped the Professor in front of the fire which Scott had mercifully already started. Jean, seeing the Professor lying comatose on the floor, immediately checked for vital signs.

"Scout, go get blankets, space heaters, and anything that produces heat down here and around the Professor. Jean, find his consciousness and don't let him fade out." As Scott ran to find the warmth givers and Jean began to meditate with the Professor's head in her lap, I threw the entire wood supply onto the fire and got it roaring. As soon as I was confident in the fire's heat, I dashed upstairs, almost knocking Scott over as well as Bobby and Rogue, who had been enlisted in his help.

When I got upstairs I tossed through my discarded back pack, ignoring my hard earned iPod, change of clothes, toothbrush, toothpaste, and the half empty bottle of my mother's perfume. When all the contents of my bad lay crumpled in my wake I clipped my worn quiver to my right thigh and called to hand the bow I'd lost somewhere in the shadow realm. I almost grinned as it came shooting out of the floor to land on the bed. I swung on my old, black trench coat and clipped my bow to my back, steeled myself for how stupid I was about to be, and slid into the shadow realm.

The cold hit me in waves as I sped along, dodging trees, cars, houses, and once the shadow of the Goodyear blimp. It was somewhat crowded, sliding over everything that cast a shadow, but shadow time is faster than real time, so travel in turn is faster too. I'd gotten about half-way to Manhattan when I realized I had no clue where to go.

_Darlene, where the hell did you go? _I sat down on the shadow of a parked suburban and rubbed the bridge of my nose when Darlene's voice echoed in my head.

_I'm right here, stupid. _Her mind's voice called a little to my west. _Come find me._

Without a second's hesitation I took her advice and went to find her. Chillingly, she'd taken up residence in an abandoned medical lad, equipped with a sterile room. That was where I found her, along with Logan and Kurt, but the sterile room wasn't so sterile. Her precious focusing object, a small glass orb with her beloved's face etched on it lay shattered on the floor. Blood was smeared up and down the walls and three parallel slash marks adorned almost every surface in the room. Kurt lay balled up in a corner, barley conscious and muttering prayers while clutching his rosary. Logan was the disheveled lump that Darlene was kicking, looking very pleased with herself for breaking almost every bone in his torso. She was about to move onto his lower half when I stepped seamlessly onto the roof.

Jumping down onto Darlene's shoulders and then tossing her against the opposite wall I said, "I found you."

Getting up and rolling her shoulders, she yanked once more on Logan's consciousness and grinned at me. She was a beauty, or had been. The once thing of the Darlene I had first met that remained was her waist-length black hair. Her eyes, like my hair, had been bleached white by the shadow realm and her skin blackened by the institute fire. She had been lit aflame, and though her skin was once again smooth as ivory, it was forever as dark as midnight. She wore white jeans and a close fitting white t-shirt, topped over with a white floor-length coat that was tighter fitting than the medical coats it was meant to mock.

I caught a look at myself in the shattered glass and reflected grimly how we were the other's exact opposites. The blue dye had all but faded, leaving my hair white until further inspected. My eyes were dark brown, almost black, and my skin as white as an albino's. My jeans were dark, as was my tank top worn under a black oxford shirt and completed by my black trench coat. We looked like reflections, seen through a twisted mirror. And the worst part of it was that she did this to both of us.

"What do you want, Shadow? Can't you see I'm busy?" Her drawl sent chills down my spine.

"Just wanted to say thank you." I fitted an arrow to my string and sent the bolt flying through her kneecap. She crumbled for a moment but was back on her feet.

"Thank me for what?" She raised her palm and sent waves of shadows charging at me. Their cold washed over me, undaunting.

"For your little gift at the train station, Mistress." I sent five more arrows through her chest. While she was busy healing herself I roused Kurt.

"Kurt, can you hear me?" He nodded groggily. "Good. Go back to the mansion, and whatever you do, don't come back. You understand? I'll be along with Logan soon, just get yourself out of here before the Mistress gets you for good." He looked at me as I tried to sound kind. It must've worked, because there was a _bamf _and he was gone. I probably should've sent Logan with him, but he didn't look quite up to the task. My only way of transportation would kill Logan if we were delayed, and to insure no delays I had to rid us if Darlene. That could mean she'd see him as a useless distraction while we fought and mentally terminate him, leaving all my efforts in vain. All in all, my situation looked grim.

"Who was that?" Darlene came flying at me in one of the judo kicks we'd learned side by side. I grabbed the offending leg and sent her flying into the shadow realm. She reached back up and grabbed my feet. I quickly shifted my bow into a quarterstaff and broke her hands with a series of blows.

"He was guy who didn't deserve your wrath." I hit the back of her neck with my quarterstaff and sent her crumpling to the floor. Several more kicks to her collar bone ensured me about two seconds to check that Logan wasn't dead. He wasn't, but before I could see if Darlene had sent him brain-dead I was hit by flying shards of glass in the back of my head.

"So? Since when have you played the hero? When was the last time you tried to save someone who got in the way?" She made no move to attack me, a dangerous sign. She knew something. "You know what I think, Shadow? I think you've gone and made friends. So who's this guy? He looks familiar… hey, is he that guy who–"

"Shut up," I said through clenched teeth. Darlene came at me, but I was ready this time. The punches and kicks she sent my way were turned aside by my quarterstaff. Flying back and forth across the room, our feet barely touched the ground. No move was wasted; every blow was meant to strike home, but very few did. I called up a shadow to sharpen the point of my quarter staff while Darlene mended a snapped neck. When she came at me I held the blunt end forward and swung it at the right time so that her stomach was slashed by the pointed tip. It was the first time in years that I'd drawn blood, and I used her moment of surprise to skewer her. I knew that would be awhile in mending, so I shifted my bow into a small metal ball and looked Logan over.

He had managed to pull up into a sitting position, confirming that his regeneration was working. Darlene was beginning to stir, so I dove at Logan and pulled him into the shadow world with me.

_Whatever you do, don't let go, _I mentally told him, but I hoped he would be smart enough to figure that out by his lonesome.

_If you insist. _His sarcastic tone told me that telepathy had stopped unnerving him. _Is it always this cold? _

_Mmhmm._ It takes a lot of concentration to take another person into the shadow world for more than ten seconds as well as a lot of strength. It took longer than I would have been happy with, but we finally got to Xavier Mansion. I let us both out of the Shadow realm in the main hallway, to exhausted to go any further with him in tow.

Rogue walked into see who had just flopped onto the floor and rushed forward to hug Logan. Getting, no such warm reception I walked over to where I had left the Professor. I found him sitting on the couch with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a mug of something warm in his hands. He looked up at my entry and gave me a warm smile that assured even the most cynical part of me I wouldn't get kicked out.

"Kurt told me what happened. Quite impressive. Please, sit down before you fall down." I headed for the couch but never got there. Jean says I blacked out, falling into Logan's arms. It might have been romantic, if I'd been awake. As it was, I was rather annoyed that he carried me back to my room and just tossed me on the bed. Jean also claims that he was the one who moved all my stuff into the room next to his, but that just seemed a little too sappy for Logan. Oh well, I'll never know.


	6. Adjustments

Da-da-da! I'm baaaaaaaaack! I've been told that the last chapter was really confusing, so I'll try and give a character's guide to who I've made up as well as what happened in chapter... whatever the last chapter was. Oh, I'd love to thank sych77 for all her lovely support and her promise to crash into me. Oh, once again the talk is sappy.

Angela Stryker/Shadow: Main character, Logan's love intrest, and super-cool chick with short blue hair.  
Darlene Cumber/The Mistress of Darkness: Angela's ex-best friend. She's a twisted reflection of Angela, only ten times more dangerous. She hates Angela, and has spent her life after the Institute tormenting Angela.  
The Korean Institue for Mutants: Place where Angela and Darlene met and learned to control their powers.  
Shadow Realm: Umm, I don't really know how to explain it, so go re-read ch. 3  
Talsiband Richard/Tas: Student the mansion, as well as a shadow traveler, age 10  
Claire Manichester/Tiger: Animal shapshifter, student, age 6  
Summary of ch. whatever: Okay, the Professor and Angela were playing chess, and when they touched hands they both went into the shadow realm. Angela saved him and then found Darlene, who was beating up Kurt and Logan. Basically she nearly killed herself beating Darlene into a bloody pulp and then getting Logan back to the mansion.

* * *

Adjustments

I slept for a week after that. Logan says I snore. Well, so what? He screams in his sleep, and just for the record, I was not the one who told him it was annoying as hell. How would I know Logan shouts in his sleep? Because while I was out like a light he moved my room into the one that shared a bathroom with his. Jean says nobody wants the room because it's the coldest in the mansion, but I bet it's really because he takes longer than any sane girl does to get ready in the morning. After all, look at his hair! It takes half a bottle of extra strength gel to get it to stick up like that. Thus, I come back into the story:

I woke up when a reek that smelled like I was being gagged with hairspray hit my nostrils. I sat up, still in my black tank top and jeans. "What the _hell _is that stench?"

Logan stuck his head through the bathroom door opposite my bed. "Well, sleeping beauty, have a nice nap?" His hair was half done, and the effect on me was less than desirable.

When I was finally able to stem the tide of snorts I asked, "Nap? I feel like I've been under for a month." I flopped back down on the bed.

"Actually, it's been a week." He was done with one side of The Do. "Tiger's been to see you several times. I'm surprised you slept through her telling all her friends how you 'saved Teddy from Tas.'"

"Who's Tiger?" My question was muffled by sheets in my attempt to go back to sleep.

"She's apparently the kid you saved from Tas. Her real name is Claire, but everyone calls her Tiger 'cause of her mutant ability." The reek of hair gel had somewhat died down, even from underneath the sheets, so I assumed he was done with The Do.

"How do you know about that?" There was a thump announcing Logan presence on my bed.

"Phaserface told me. He sounded pretty, what was your word? Oh yeah, miffed. I don't think he likes you, but then again our resident do-gooder has always been strait laced." Logan began to beat me over the head with a pillow.

"What's Tiger's ability?" The pillow in Logan's hand exploded mid-swipe to my great satisfaction.

"She's an animal shape shifter, but a tiger is her favorite animal, hence the name." He began tugging on the sheets I had pulled over my head.

I retaliated by slipping into the shadow realm. I watched for a moment as he tossed the now empty covers off the bed before pinning him to the floor with a shadow. It wasn't one of the ones I usually use, but instead it was a thin film that held Logan pinned to the floor.

I came out of the shadow realm and watched him struggle for a bit before I showered and got dressed. While Logan was still pinned to the ground I re-dyed my hair back to electric blue. Coming back to the room I found Logan attempting to saw through the shadow.

"Hate to break it to ya, tough guy, but even adamantine can't cut through a shadow. Whatcha think of my hair? Not quite as wild as yours, but I do what I can." I hovered just out of reach of the still-sawing claws.

"It's great. Now would you let me out of this damn thing?" He gave up sawing and gave me as close to a pout as his dignity would allow.

"As long as you promise not to attack me." I sat heavily on his torso and listened with satisfaction as his breath whooshed out of his lungs. It wasn't as much the sound as the absence of beer on his breath. I needed a moment to reassure myself that this guy was for real.

"I promise," Logan managed to squeeze out. I waved a hand the shadow pinning him to the floor fell away. Logan grinned wolfishly at me before saying, "Hey, guess what? I lied."

I yelped and sprung off of his chest and fled down the hall screaming, "Help! There's a wild Wolverine on the loose and it's trying to kill me!" I made it down to the recreation hall before I got caught. It actually wasn't Logan who caught me, but instead a miniature tiger hit me in the chest and sent me sprawling across the floor. By the time Logan had caught up with me I was attempting to ward off the tiger's pink tongue to no avail.

"Logan," I managed to gasp between bouts of laughter, "save me!" Instead Logan leaned against the nearby door and grinned at my misfortune.

"Sorry, blue. When Tiger decides to show her affections, you just got to wait it out." Tiger looked up at Logan and shifted into a small wolverine and began all sorts of hisses and growls. "Smart-ass," Logan murmured as he turned away and headed for the kitchen.

I laughed at the fact that the great Wolverine could be scared off by a sarcastic six-year-old. "I like you already." I picked the small wolverine up and was instantly gratified with one more lick before she jumped to the ground and stalked off as a tiger to go do whatever she had been doing.

"I see you've met Tiger." I turned around to find Tas standing behind me.

"Hey, where'd you come from?" But of course we both knew he'd been in the shadow realm. I stretched a hand out for him to shake. He shook it loosely, unaccustomed to human contact.

"Wow, it doesn't hurt." He examined his hand in wonder. "Why doesn't it hurt?"

"Because I'm a shadow traveler too."

"Really?"

"The Professor asked me to show you a few tricks, if you'd like." I mentioned the Professor and I's conversation nonchalantly.

"I'd love that! I mean… that would be cool." _Poor kid, at his age and he already has to hide his emotions._

_I'm not poor! Your pity is the last thing I need!_ Tas's angry voice echoed in my head.

_Nosy, aren't you? Alright, kiddo, here's your first lesson: STAY OUT OF MY HEAD! _I gratified his intrusion with a brief stab of mental pain.

"What the hell was that for?" He collapsed in agony.

"For being intrusive and stupid. If you're going to have the gall to go poking around in people's minds you have to have the will-power to back it up. And I don't care if my pity is unwanted; my pity is the only sympathy you'll get from me. From now on you wake up at five a.m. for practice in the shadow realm. I will be training you in combat, ability, and control. Your only break will be Sunday morning, and on Saturdays you will be able to sleep in until five-thirty. Am I clear?" _Dear lord, I sound like my instructors from the institute._

Tas stared at me flabbergasted for five minutes before I left to go find where Logan had sulked off to. I found him wandering about the kitchen, stealing scraps out of various breakfasts. I sat in the doorway just watching him flow in and out of traffic. He never used to be so kind. Sure, kind isn't the word most people would have used to describe him, but I'd seen the before and after. There was a difference between night and day in him. He used to be gone for weeks on end, and when he came back no one could get him to speak. He couldn't have cared if the world had gone to hell, but he was different now. There was a protective step in his walk. In his own gruff way he cared for everyone in the room, even Scott. Okay, maybe not Scott. I saw the way he kept Marie from brushing against Tiger by barreling between them. Or how he sidetracked the children when they began to grate on Ororo's nerves by telling naughty jokes. I noticed how he was careful to avoid stepping on Kurt's tail and how he cleared the way for the Professor's wheelchair by taking up most of the aisle. Everyone else in the kitchen thought he was being a pain and an obnoxious obstacle, but I saw the care in his actions.

_You're lucky, you know. _I sent the thought his way and had my breath knocked away when he looked up from slicing carving out an apple core for Bobby.

_Yeah, right._ He handed the apple to Bobby and wove his way to the backyard, subtly hinting I was to follow.

Curious, I went with him and found him spread out on a grassy knoll in the woods behind the school. I sat down, just enjoying the piece. Out of no where Logan began to speak. "How'd you figure I'm lucky?"

I sighed, unable to find words to describe how everyday life for me was like. Instead I opened up my mind and let him feel my despair. I cut the flow of hopelessness of and whispered, "You have people who love you, who understand you. I don't. It's just that simple: I don't."

"Why not?" He sat up and rested his chin on his long legs.

"I'm everything mutants aren't supposed to be. I'm dangerous, moody, unpredictable, and come with a hell of a lot of baggage. Nobody wants to mess with me for their own safety." I blinked hard and knuckled my eyes, but one tear managed to slide away.

Logan reached forward and brushed it away. He gasped at how cold it was. "Your skin is so icy."

I sat staring past his hand that had wiped the tear. "It's because of the shadow realm."

"No it's not." He cupped my hand in his, ignoring the freezing burn of my touch.

"Pardon?"

He shook his head and began to blow on my hand like he would warm it back up. "The shadow realm isn't the reason your skin is so cold. You won't let anyone warm you up, that's all. You don't stay in one place long enough. It used to be the same way with me. I never stayed in one place long enough to get to know anybody, and I was always so chilled. I figured it was because I was up in Canada, but it wasn't. The day I gave Rogue a ride I felt a little bit warmer. And the day Professor Xavier offered a position on the team I figured that for the entire world, I would never find a warmer place." He let my hand go as he finished speaking and began to work on the other one. His hands were blue, but there was a reddish tint in my own skin, and for once the cool breeze felt cool instead of hot.

"That's very…" I paused, unable to find the words.

"Sappy. The Professor explained it better." Logan finished with my other hand and paused for a second to let his hands warm back up with his regenerative power before placing them gently on my face. Warmth exploded all over my face, so much that it took me a while to realize that the reason my lips felt warm too was because Logan was kissing me. I kissed back, wanting his warmth for my own, greedily absorbing the life. The kiss ended too soon, yet had seemed to last a lifetime.

I sighed before saying, "That feels _really_ good."

Logan grinned, "So why leave?" I hadn't really thought of leaving, but I had known I wouldn't stay. From that moment on all excuses I could've found to leave Xavier Mansion burst into a thousand tiny fragments, and every time I tried to think of one I could only think of Logan's words "So why leave?"

I didn't leave, not for a year. It was perfect, for a year. Tas gained total control over his powers, and we had begun to work on magnitude. Tiger followed me everywhere, often putting a halt on me and Logan's romance. Scott and I continued to wage a personal war, but eventually all the malice just dissipated. It was perfect.

* * *

"Did you write that?" Scott peered over Logan's shoulder. The hand writing wasn't his, it was sloppy as if the author was unaccustomed to their body.

"No; she did." Of course they both new what he was talking about, but it was still … eerie.

"Well, she's lying. It was most certainly not perfect. There was the Civil War brewing, Tas's temper-tantrums, Tiger's dangerous sulking, Kurt's slip back into speaking German, Ororo's electrical shortages of the mansion, your nightmares, Jeans loss of control, Rouge's always forgetting where she put her gloves, Bobby's always breaking the thermostat, and _I _had to cope with all of it!" Scott glared at the paper contemptuously, but made no move to change "perfect" to "chaotic."

Logan stayed calm, another one of the uncanny changes that had come over him. Instead of shouting, he whispered, "Phaserface, you forgot that all of that happened _after_ she left."

Scott left, a rather remorseful look across his features. Logan watched him go and turned his thoughts inside. _So, you gunna finish it?_

_I'd rather not, but you know what happened; you can do it._

_Maybe I will. _

_

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_whatcha think? REVIEW OF FACE THE WRATH OF MY IMAGINARY PEOPLE! Oh, just in case you don't get it (or you'restupid like Savitri), I sorta switched from First person narration to third person narrating, just cuz it's easier on me and adds to the mystery. Oooo, what happened? You know, like that. REVIEW OR i'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND GET YOU LIKE A FISH!! 


	7. Scout I mean Scott's point of Opinion

Just so ya know, I'm really flyign by teh seat of my pants. Ya know, trying different story elements and tecniques I'd never use in one of my novels. (Yes, becca, I've started a new one.) Alright, sych77, you didn't review my last chapie, so review your devoted fan!

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Scout – I mean Scott's point of Opinion

Maybe I was just being stupid, back there. Oh well, maybe it was perfect, for her at least. I've never really considered life as "perfect," but then again, I haven't worked as an assassin, a prison guard, a bouncer, a bartender, and a hooker, among other things. However, because she wasn't quite used to our life, maybe she was slightly biased. I've written down what really happened, to a certain point. Logan might want to be the one who goes into detail about her… Never mind.

"I didn't leave, not for a year. It was perfect, for a year. Tas gained total control over his powers, and we had begun to work on magnitude. Tiger followed me everywhere, often putting a halt on me and Logan's romance. Scott and I continued to wage a personal war, but eventually all the malice just dissipated. It was perfect."

That's what she wrote, but there's not enough detail. This seems a lot like a school essay, but I'll elaborate.

True to her word, Angela woke Tas up every morning at five a.m. for a rigorous training exercise. Most of us sat in on the first one, and I think I remember it clearly.

Tas slouched in the pre-dawn light, hardly awake. Angela came up behind him from the shadow realm and tossed him into a nearby tree. He shook his head clear of the stars that crowded his vision and leapt back at her. She sank back into the shadow realm, her hardly-visible outline mocking him. Frustrated, he dove in after her, only to leap back out with a yelp. Angela rose from the shadow realm without making a sound and swept his feet out from under him and sent him sprawling across the cement courtyard.

"I told you, no sympathy. If you want to keep up, it's going to take a lot of work. Do you think you can do it?" She called up a shadow and sharpened the point.

"Yes," Tas whispered through gritted teeth.

"Good." She let the shadow flatten the point into a rounded end. "First, weapon training for and thirty minutes. Then we go to mental and shadow uses for another thirty minutes. Finally we put the two together in the last forty-five minutes." Another quarter staff shot out of the ground and landed heavily on Tas's groin.

He stood, sore from his first five minutes with his teacher. I'm not a telepath, but I could tell he was thinking _What the hell have I gotten myself into?_ For their time with the quarterstaffs she ran him through several drills of blocks, thrusts, and swipes. Then she began teaching him to summon up shadows that could perform different tasks. She taught him binding shadows, healing shadows, shifting shadows, sharpening/killing shadows (heaven forbid he should use them) as well as solid shadows. A solid shadow seems a bit of a contradiction, but it could be used in place of a weapon, or simply as a shelf to carry things back and forth with. In the last forty-five minutes she had him attack her with shadows in place of weapons, but she blocked every attack without moving an inch. When they were finally done the Professor broke into applause and told Tas that he could go back to bed now.

I expected Angela to go back inside, but instead she continued to wave her quarterstaff back and forth as if fighting an invisible foe. I recognized them as drills and stayed to watch. I wasn't the only one who found the exercises interesting, in fact the Professor was the only one who went inside. Finally Angela noticed us watching her and stopped.

"What?"

"Where did you learn to do this?" Ororo spoke up first, awe sketched into every detail on her face.

"The Korean Institute for Mutants. They taught self-defense for most of the classes. I can do hand-to-hand if I have to, and I'm a fair shot with a bow, but the quarterstaff is my main object of affection, so to speak" She paused for a moment, gauging our reactions. "You know, it's better for me if I practice with someone."

Of course I was stupid and stepped forward, already sliding my visor over my eyes. She grinned and waited for me to make the first move. I let loose a beam, and she dove forward and swept my feet out from under me. I rolled away and shot at her again. This time she called up a shadow and with a sweeping motion glanced aside the beam. She came rushing at me, nimbly bouncing between my blasts and knocking them aside with shadows. Before I knew it she was there, pinning me to a tree with the shaft of her quarterstaff.

She immediately clutched her head in pain, and I assumed that Jean was attacking her mentally. Jean, in turn, went sprawling across the courtyard from a mental blow. By some mutual agreement we both stepped out of the way, understanding that if this had been a real fight she could have killed us by completing her blows.

Next came Storm and Kurt in a bit of a combined attack. Ororo began sending lightning bolts in Angela's general direction, and she was so absorbed in blocking them that Kurt managed to get several vicious blows in on her spine. She was obviously irked at her loss of defense; she dove into the shadow realm, a maneuver thus far avoided, and struck Storm in the back of the head with her quarterstaff and then took out Kurt with a judo throw.

The only person left was Logan, and he seemed thus far uninterested in joining the fray. Angela stood in front of him, panting lightly, and whispered, "You almost beat me last time." I don't know if it was a reference to Logan's past, but it worked better than any gibe would have. He and she began to circle each other, Logan making testing passes with his claws and Angela swiping playfully with her quarter staff. Logan leapt forward at her, and grabbed her in a waist lock. With her quarterstaff she whacked the back of his knees and spine, forcing a surprised let-go. Distancing herself from him, she called up a shadow that shifted her staff into a bow and immediately fitted an arrow to the string. Logan managed to dodge all her arrows, save for one which caught him full in the stomach. It flew clean through, the shock more than the pain sending Logan to his knees.

He lay there, impassive, until Angela came over to his limp body to see if he was playing. Once she was in range he took an underhanded blow at her feet. She jumped to avoid it, and landed right next Logan. Seeing that she was in a very compromising position, she pulled his head forward. I expected her to slam is forehead like they do in movies, but instead she kissed him. It was just a distraction for both of them, because at the same instant Logan release his claws and stabbed her in the lower lungs, she twisted his head at an odd angle and it was quite obvious she had broken his neck. Both collapsed, lying for a few moments while they healed themselves. There really was nothing interesting in Logan's regenerating, but every now and again there was the pop of bones mending. Angela, however was more fascinating. She called up several shadows that wove in and out of her body, sowing together the wounds. Both procedures took a whole of thirty seconds and both were up.

Logan spun behind her, both sets of claws held to her temples. She threw herself backwards and pinned him to the cement. With a slice at her shoulder he forced her into the shadow realm. She came up behind him and held her taunt bow right behind his head. Logan reached behind her and sent her sprawling with a yank to her leg. It was an interesting performance, and I was disappointed to see Angela throw her hands up in surrender as she lay laughing on the ground. Logan helped her to her feet and planted one more brief kiss on her lips before going inside. Everyone but me followed.

Angela began picking up her discarded arrows before she noticed I was there. She finally came and stood in front of me, in a fighting stance, I might add. "Can I help you, Scout?"

Ignoring the gibe I asked, "Where'd you learn to do that?"

She sighed before answering, obviously fighting down memories. "The Koran Institute for Mutants, like I said."

I was skeptical. "You leaned _all_ of those moves at the Institute?"

She grinned halfheartedly. "Well, no. I learned a ton just fending off Darlene and Logan actually taught me some when I was staying with my brother."

I nodded my understanding and heading inside. Just as I was about to close the door behind me I heard her call, "You know, Scout, you could probably learn a couple of things from me, too."

"I doubt it!" I think that was the moment when we stopped hating each other.

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REVIEW OR I'LL DO A JIG WITH A CUP OF PEANUT OIL ON MY HEAD WHILE CHEWING BUBBLE GUM!


	8. Yoda voices and Birthdays

Happy Easter! Back by not so popular demand, I just pounded out this chapter, completly forsaking family and chocolate just for the sake of my readers. See how much I love you guys? You know, I think a break was exactly what I needed. This was probably this best chapter, and by far the easiest to write. Never fear, Logan comes in at the end, I haven't forgotten him. And the last two sentances are kinda cryptic, so you won't get them till the end. Unless I'm being totally obvious. Tell me, I want your predictions. How does it end? Hahahahaha, you'll never guess. Well, I told Becca, but she pestered me, and it's so much fun to watch her face. Hey, you didn't come here for me, read on!

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Yoda voices and birthdays

You know, Angela's pretty old. She's at least as old as Logan, who's at least as old as her creepy brother who's at least sixty, if not more, who's also younger than Angela by at least three years which makes Angela at least sixty-three. Personally I think that's kinda weird, 'cause she looks only, like, thirty-five, at most. Does that mean I'll be able to live as long as her? That's cool to think about, but I think after a while you'd get kinda bored with life. I read this one book about vampires, and it said that because they don't die naturally that after a while they don't really care if they die. I hope I don't get that old.

"Tas, pay attention!" Angela whacked me on the side of the head. "What were you doing! If I were trying to kill you it would have been all to easy."

I rubbed the bruise that was forming, but she whacked aside my hand. A little too late I remembered I was supposed to use shadows to heal all my bruises, 'cause she wasn't going to do it for me any more. "Sorry, Miss Stryker. I was just thinking about how old you are."

I guess I must have hit a chord, 'cause her glare softened instantly. "Did Scout tell you to call me that?" I nodded. "Well, my name is Angela, so you might as well use it." She paused, watching me try to heal a bruise. "What about my age?"

I gave up with the bruise. "Well, you don't age because you're a shadow traveler, right?"

"Correct, my young padawan." My favorite movie was _Star Wars_, and she could do the Yoda voice perfectly. She only did it when it was just her and me, which made it all the more special.

"Then won't I be ageless too?"

Angela sighed and ran a hand through her short hair. I eventually figured out that when she did that it meant she wasn't quite sure what to say. "Well, not so much _ageless _as just _really really slow to age. _You see, we do age, but the shadow realm acts sorta like a freezer. You know those glow sticks that I give Tiger during movies?" Tiger was scared of the dark, but she loved watching movies with all the teachers and students. Problem was, everyone but her like watching them in the dark. First Saturday night that Angela was there she disappeared for a couple of minutes and came back with a glow stick for Tiger. It was perfect 'cause we could watch the movie in the dark (those things don't spread light well) and Tiger had her light.

I nodded.

"You know how I keep them in the freezer? That's because they last longer that way after you snap them. Eventually they will run out of juice, but much slower. That's what the shadow realm does for us. We eventually will run out of juice, but just a lot slower."

That gave me something to think about. When I was done mulling that over for the moment I asked, "How much slower than normal people do we age?"

She squinted for a moment, trying to recall. "I think I heard it was one tenth, but I'm not sure. So I'm really ten times older than I look. Well, that's not true, because we age normally until the mutation kicks in."

"So how old are you?"

She grinned. "About seventy, give or take five years."

"You don't know?"

"I'm not quite sure. I don't know my exact birthday because I came from a really lousy orphanage, and after I left the institute I never really kept track of my age."

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "After awhile it's just not important." She paused before asking her own question. "Tas, when did your mutation kick in?"

Now it was my turn to squint and try and remember. I did a pretty good job at it, which got Angela to smile. She's got a really pretty smile, and most of the time the only people who can get her to smile are Logan, Tiger, and me. "Well, not more than six months ago."

"Six months!" She looked impressed by how much I knew before she got here.

"Well, I'm a quick learner and the Professor knows a little about shadow travelers, so he taught me some."

She whistled. "When I came to the Institute I didn't know squat about being a shadow traveler."

"And now you're the best!" I piped in, maybe not so wisely.

Her face fell. "Not the best, padawan. That's Darlene."

"But you could beat her if you tried. Look at what happened last time she showed up. You beat the shit out of her."

"Watch you mouth."

"Sorry."

She was quiet for a minute. "Well, that was different. I wasn't fighting for me…"

"You were fighting for a friend." I finished. "Maybe that's what you need to beat her. Next time you fight her just think about what good you'll be doing for everybody."

She sighed. "I wish it were that easy, Tas, I really do."

She got up and left, muttering something about being done for the day. I stayed put, and about five minutes later Logan came barreling outside. He pause and did that weird little sniffing thing he does. He must have smelled me, because he came and sat next to me on the bench without seeming to notice I was there.

Eventually he asked, "So, what were you and Blue talking about?"

I looked up, but he was still staring straight ahead. "Who?"

"Angela."

"Oh, her." I ran my hand through my hair, a trait of her that rubbed of and still sticks with me to this day. "We were talking about birthdays."

He chuckled. "You should know better than to ask a woman about her age."

"She's seventy, give or take five years."

Logan whistled. He grinned wolfishly, and finally looked at me. "Well, I always have like older women."

That was a thought I didn't want to explore. "She probably knows your age."

That shut him up, but not for long. "You know kiddo, I don't really care."

"I'm not a kiddo," I muttered, not really in a mood to talk.

"Suit yourself."

"Maybe I will"

But I didn't. I'm a very social person. And if Angela taught me anything, it was keep friends close. Screw your enemies, as long as you got your friends your fine. At least, that was her policy, and look where she got landed. Must be really empty up there.

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Wow, I haven't up dated in forever. So review, or I'll never update agian! BWAHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


	9. Nightmare and Reality

Haha! Bet you thought I was dead, didn't you? Nope, I live, and I finally come back to this fic of mine. Since it's been so long, you might wish to go back and re-read the fic, but I'll recap basic and vital info for you. Tiger is an animal shapeshifter (and the narrator of this chappie) and Tas is a Shadow Traveler, couple years her elder. Angela and Darlene are Shadow Travelers that were childhood friends but had a falling out. Tada, I think that's it. Sorry it's so short, I pounded this out in an hour or so.

**_hunt4max_**: Now that you mention it, her mutation does seem a little hard to beleive, but so are some of the other mutations. Glad you like!  
**_Chrizz_**: Tada, here's that update!  
: Thank you.  
: Again, thank you  
_**Becca**_: You've fallen off the face of the planet. Sorry it's been so long between updates, but I've got higher priorities  
_**Sych77**_: perhaps this will motivate your lazy butt to update, eh? UPDATE!

Kay, enjoy, ask questions, don't get answers, and review!

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Nightmare and Reality

It's been a couple of years since Angela came here. I was … six? Maybe younger. You see, I don't really have a birthday, but Mr. Xavier did this cool thing with Cerebro and figures I was about five when they found me at the pound. So, I guess I was about five when Angela came to us.

She… you'd have to ask Logan what it really is, but to the rest of us she's dead. She died when I was six.

I'm fifteen now.

Angela was never mature enough to be a mother to me. But to both me and Tas she was parallel to an elder sister bordering on motherly. She never had a mother, not one that cared, so it could be reasoned she didn't know how to act like one. However, popular belief dictates she knew what was going to happen and tried not to get too attached. We all regret that she thought it would be any less painful if she tried to distance herself, mostly because she failed miserably but still kept reserved at inopportune times. Years of solitude didn't give her good people skills.

Any way, I'm writing this account of my most vivid memory of Angela Stryker Shadow at the request of Charles Xavier, founder of not only this school but the X-men.

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It was Halloween. We were all collapsed in our respective beds after hours of trick-or-treating, and for us little ones, piggy back rides from the older students and teachers. I has collapsed last of the small children, and the only open backs were Logan and Tas (who was fading fast due to his early morning work out he'd become infamous for). Noticing both of us yawn, he scooped Tas onto his back and me in his arms. I shifted into a dormouse for better compatibility and curled up in his breast pocket.

After the piggy backs home, we all marched upstairs, so tired we forgot to put our candy down. Once we were in our rooms, however, the lure of candy woke us and we delved in. Somehow, all our candy disappeared in a _bamf _of black smoke after we each had two pieces.

I was in the middle of being chased by a Jack-o-lantern when I was awoke by a crash. I was the only one awake, and once again taking the guise of a dormouse snuck down toward the sound of the crash.

There was a lady there. She looked oddly familiar, like I seen her somewhere. She had jet black skin, black hair, and white eyes. She scanned the room, looking for more priceless heirlooms to break when she saw me. I don't know how, I was small and in the dark, but she spotted me and took a step forward. My fiver-year-old body and mind froze, and I was back to normal shape and size.

"Hello, darling. What are you doing out of bed so late?" she cooed.

She was menacing. Terror oozed through body, making me powerless and lethargic. I did the only thing I could think to. I cried. I wailed as loud as my lungs would let me.

"Oh, no no, little girl. If you wake the whole school, you'll be in trouble, and you'll get a nice proper beating from your teachers… if I don't get you first." She took another step toward me.

I heard several loud _thud_s. Angela vaulted the banister and swung her legs into the woman's face. She then used several bad words which even in my terror made me gasp.

"GET. OUT. _NOW_!" Angela screamed at the woman. Angela swung her quarterstaff (which had not previously been there) at the woman.

The woman snarled. "What's the matter, Shadow? Hit to close to home?" There was contempt in the woman's voice. "You don't belong here. Everywhere you go gets destroyed."

Angela thrust the quarterstaff forward at the woman's chin. She grabbed it and swung Angela into the vaulted ceiling. Angela spun and landed on her feet. She screamed, "YOU DO THAT, DARLENE! YOU DESTROY IT ALL!" She dove again, spinning like a guided missile. She spun right through Darlene's chest.

The gaping hole she left filled with darkness as the woman continued to hiss. "I'm just a reflection of you. I am everything you don't want to admit you are."

"How very cliché." Logan mule kicked Darlene into the wall and shoved his claws into the wall; after they passed through her forehead. I couldn't see Angela anywhere.

The rest of the teachers came rushing down the stairs. Ororo scooped me up and covered my eyes. "Don't look, honey."

Darlene was laughing, and I heard Logan curse colorfully. I guessed she'd done the same thing that Angela and Tas could do when they didn't want to be seen. Ororo thought that she was gone and uncovered my eyes just in time for me to see Angela come rocketing out of the wall, limp body in tow. She tossed the body at Logan who caught it seamlessly with his claws.

She leaned forward, her words punctuated with at violent jab to a vital organ. "If you ever, and I mean ever (extra stab), come here again (stab and punch) I'll rip you into so many pieces that by the time you put yourself together the world will have ended a long time ago." Logan dropped the corpse.

Darlene's body slid into the shadow realm, as Tas later explained when I told him my story. Angela wiped the blood off her hands with a shadow; but just as she was walking away a dark orb came up behind her, rested between her shoulder blades, and shattered. Fragments of darkness dug themselves into her back and Logan's face. She shrieked several more unmentionable words and dove into the shadow realm.

Blood was dripping down Logan's face and pooling on the floor. Miss Grey rushed forward and was telepathically picking the pieces out when two human shaped projectiles soared across the room. There was another thud and the sound of bones cracking. Somewhere in my absolutely terrified mind I wondered why no one was dead yet. Something wet dripped on my face, and I realized it was blood from the two fighting over me. It just made me scream louder, to everyone's dismay. The whole school was trying to crowd onto the stairs by now.

Darlene flopped to the floor, inches away from me. She was like a limp rag doll, only a lot worse. She looked the love child of the Creature from Black Lagoon and one of those things from 48 Days Later. If it were possible at that point, I probably would have increased my volume and pitch. The thing that was Darlene reached out for me, grinning evilly at me through the immense amount of pain she must be feeling. Angela feathered her with silver looking arrows and jumped down, pushing the shafts downward.

She yanked up the thing's head and whispered frighteningly, "You didn't believe me, did you? Last chance. Mistress." The thing slid into the beyond, or wherever things that not even Death wants go.

Angela looked up at me, sad that no one had had the good grace to remove me from the scene of the fight. "Are you alright?"

I nodded. She didn't reach out for me to hug me, she didn't try to console me. She just walked past me and all the other students and down the hall, dripping gore onto the carpets. Through all the chaos I thought, _How come she can drip on the carpets and we're not allowed to eat up here?_

Logan stood too, and followed her. I don't know what went on in their rooms, but I know that when Miss Grey tucked me back in I heard crying.

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That's most vivid for me, the crying is. Angela was really a peaceful person, a pacifist in a sadist's body. Logan says she like where she is now, she has a lot of time to herself. I don't think I'd like it, but I haven't experience as much life, love and loss as her. I hope she's okay.

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REVIEW OR I SHALL DRIPP ON YOUR CARPETS!


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